The Way of Nature

We had finally made it. Our morning runs were normally less strenuous but coming all the way up here was definitely worth it. With the sun rising in all its celestial glory bathing the valley down below in its swirling colors, the two-hour run it took to get up here felt like two minutes. My running buddy, Jace, seemed just as stunned as I was. With our section away on a mission, newbies like us were still expected to stay at the top of our game. A morning run up Colian Hill seemed like a great way to get the day started, not to mention the view was to die for. As we started jogging back down, an inhuman shriek close behind sent our hearts racing. Sharing a knowing look we both yelled out "Rakshado!” Sprinting down as fast as we could the incessant shrieking was just getting closer and closer. "What is it doing all the way out here?" cried Jace, he looked terrified. Who wouldn't be? Rakshado's were one of the top 20 most dangerous animals on the planet. With their venom coated fangs and deadly talons, they were enough to unnerve even some of the more well-trained combatants. We knew our basics, but we both knew that we would be dead if caught in an open encounter. My eyes desperately searched for a hiding place or at least a point of advantage that could increase our chances of survival. Spotting a cave-like structure I immediately signaled Jace to follow me. The shrieks intensified and when we were just a few feet away we saw the creature's deadly shadow right on us. "Jump!" I yelled and we both threw ourselves at the entrance just as the Rakshado crashed down where we had been a second ago. I quickly turned myself around and pulled out my Detrix and clicked the button to extend it, just in time for the Rakshado to drive its head right onto the weapon. The device delivered the only poison that could kill the beast in a reasonable amount of time. Exhausted we watched as its eyes rolled to the back of its head as it collapsed onto its side and lay completely still. Wearily we stood up, waiting a few moments just to make sure it was really dead. "They aren’t supposed to be this far over the border," Jace said uneasily "how did it get here?". "It probably got through during the last mass attack," I said, "I heard we've been having trouble keeping them as far back as they are". "That's why they called our section yesterday, right?" "Mhh hmm. We should get back to base." "Let's hurry, unless something else decides to show up." We hurried back to base and burst into the main office. Breathing heavily and soaked with sweat with smudges of dirt on our uniforms, we looked like an absolute mess. Our district manager looked up from some paperwork with a look of annoyance that soon morphed itself into one of surprise. "Wut hes ye lookin sa at a' sorts lads?" "Rakshado encounter sir," I said with a shaky salute. Jumping up from his seat he tried to remain calm as he asked "Status?" "Dead sir." Relief flooded his face as he picked up his radio and communicated the information. He stayed on a few more minutes and his expression soon changed back to one of worry. Putting it down he closed his eyes. "Ta tell ye da truf, we ben havin truble aat da borda. Dees monstas jes keep comin an we ain't got enou' men ta stap 'em. Oda sightins ha been reported fra differan' divisions. Imma afred we a' loosin dis wa." Jace and I silently exchanged a look of anxiety. "That means all the rumors are true sir?" "Afred sa, me lads." "Even the one that says we may be going underground permanently sir?" "Afred dat es a eva encresan possabilite, da govamen' es alreda plannin et. En fect, da govamen' es gon' maak a decision ta'morra. Da tunnels a reada." "But sir, don't you think we should stay and fight?" "Dat used ta be wa we thought. Bu' now we ain't sa sure. Dey da stranga breed. Scientists 'elieve dat we don' deserve dis planet no more. Well, don' worry yerselves abou' i'. Everithin well be alright, da govamen’ll wark i’ ou’. Ye jes go en et sum breafas'. Ha' e' good day lads." "You too sir." As we walked out of the office I couldn't help but feel angry and disappointed. I thought we were going to stand and fight! Not hideaway like cowards or scared little bugs as soon as our position as the apex predators was challenged. But, we weren't strong enough, that had been proven to us again and again. Millions of men had been killed by the new race of animals that had been accidentally produced in our labs. Their capabilities reached beyond our current understandings of science and they seemed to defy even the laws of physics. Some said this was god judging us for trying to be him. But all scientists were doing was innovating and helping all of us as the human race improve! Isn't this what progress was all about? How could we blame them when the only reason they had to do research was that we are just naturally weak? We can't, it's what we have all pushed them to do all along. It was the very calling of god even! To grow and evolve into a higher version of ourselves, ever likening our images to that of the greatest of celestial beings. Why would god punish us so when all we did was what we were made to do, to improve and become more than what we already are? He was unfair; he had given us a planet, told us to become greater, and then in our aspiration brought the curse of a greater species upon us. No matter how advanced we became we could never seem to escape his power. Walking into the dining area, the news playing on the screen of the Omniscience immediately caught my eye. There was not a sound to be heard as we all watched men being slaughtered alive. Men being stabbed by Chikara's and torn apart by Skrimli's. Vaporized by Makara's and poisoned by Kigyo's. It was bad. The impending doom of the human race hung about us like a storm. The want for the preservation of our race had ultimately led to its destruction. The screen changed to our world leader, Orbem Dexian. He seemed calm, though a bit pale, and reassured us that all would be well. IT looked like the government had reached a decision earlier because of the devastation of our armies. We were ordered to an emergency evacuation into the underground Shaoghal's. With these words, the lunchroom erupted into a rumble of distressed whispers. He went on to thank everyone for their determination and fighting spirit but declared the endangering of more men's lives would be in vain without the weapons needed to combat the monsters. He promised us that we would defeat them one day and take back our planet, but we had to wait. For now, us going into hiding was just a strategy to defeat them in the long run and win a war that creatures such as them couldn't hope to with enemies such as us. We were more intelligent, and that was where the true power of a species was. We were going to defeat them, we just had to lay low and build up our forces and weapons. With that, we were all dismissed and expected to be in our underground Shaoghal by midnight or sooner. Any that were late would be left behind due to the breach of our defenses and the threat of the monsters. We all rushed to our cabins and started packing our things as fast as we possibly could. By the time we were finished, it was dark. The moon was up, shining down in all her glory, not a care in the world. The trees danced to the thrum of the wind. It was like nature was celebrating the destruction of a people that had destroyed her for so long. Walking over to the lake near our camp I realized that this was it. The last time I would ever see this beautiful planet’s surface in my lifetime. Staring at the reflection of the moon in the crystal clear water, I couldn't help but wonder if it had all been worth it. All of our innovation and technological advances. All of our aspiring and striving to become the greatest beings in the universe. Only to create our own demise. Oh, how I wished that I could go back and just see nature's beauty and spent more time admiring her. If I could only, but that was the same thought that every inventor ever had when approaching a problem. Maybe our problem wasn’t learning, maybe it was just the arrogance of wanting to become the greatest that came along with excessive knowledge. If we had humbled ourselves, maybe the world could have become a better place. A place where nature is enhanced and we don't strive to be selfishly greater. As the moon danced on the surface of the water, I heard Jace calling me. "Hey, their all loaded and taking people now. You better come quickly. I would hate to be left out here when those monsters arrive." "Yeah, you’re right. I'm coming." With one last look at the beautiful world around me, I thought that maybe there was a glimmer of hope. One day our children may be able to retake our planet and create a better world than what we did. With that, I started heading back to safety with the hope that one day we'll be back, and we'll be better. Maybe we’re still progressing, just not the way everyone thought we would.